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Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!

Councillor Gideon Bull Suspended

Below is the email sent to party members. His crime? He asked questions about the risk to old people if the Haven Day Centre closes.

Democracy is officially dead in Haringey.

Dear redacted

Re: Suspension (removal of the whip) of Councillor Gideon Bull

Please see below emails (verbatim) from the Chief Whip of the Haringey Labour Group regarding the suspension of Councillor Gideon Bull.

I am conscious that the Tottenham CLP has many new members and there maybe confusion about what this means. By way of a brief explanation and foresee questions you may have:

  • The CLP only deals with the disciplinary of members if the case they have been accused of is in regards to their membership of the Labour party.
  • All Councillors belong to a Labour Group (as well as a CLP), in Haringey they belong to the ‘Haringey Labour Group’ as Councillors are borough-wide based on the geographical boundaries of Haringey Council. (i.e. there is no such thing as a Tottenham Labour Group as Tottenham is a Parliamentary Constituency boundary not a Local Council Boundary).
  • If a Councillor is subject to disciplinary based on their role as a Councillor (not as a member of the party), then the case is dealt with by the [Haringey] Labour Group.
  • The Labour Group can impose action on the membership of Councillors to the Labour Group and not his Labour Party membership.
  • As Councillor Gideon Bull’s case is about his role as a Councillor it has been dealt with by the Haringey Labour Group.
  • Councillor Gideon Bull’s suspension is a suspension from the Haringey Labour Group and not from the Labour Party. Gideon still remains a full member of the Labour Party.
  • A suspension from the Labour Group means he is still a Councillor for the London Borough of Haringey as he has been elected to serve for 4 years.
  • The technical term for this action is called the “removal of the whip”.
  • The ability to remove Councillors from their role is covered by the Local Government Act and Representation of the People Act which has specific rules when Councillors can be removed from their role as Councillors.
  • The decision to ‘remove the whip’ (suspend) is not an action that can be taken by one person, it is subject to a vote by the whole of the Haringey Labour Group. In this case the vote concluded to suspend Councillor Gideon Bull.
  • The local MPs, the Assembly Member and MEPs have no vote and no decision making powers over the removal of a whip of a Labour Councillor.

As Gideon is still a full member of the Labour Party, he remains the Vice Chair of the Tottenham CLP and Secretary of the White Hart Lane Labour branch.

Councillor Gideon Bull has the right to appeal the decision to London Regional Board. If Councillor Gideon Bull decides to appeal and is successful then the suspension is withdrawn and you will be informed.

I hope my attempt to explain has helped.

As this is a decision by the Haringey Labour Group and not by the Tottenham CLP, I cannot not respond to any questions about the decision and I am writing to you solely to share the information.

Regards
Seema Chandwani
CLP Secretary | Tottenham

Emails from Liz McShane - Chief Whip of the Haringey Labour Group To Be Shared With Members.
(Please note there are two emails)

Dear Seema

This is to formally notify you that the whip has been removed from Cllr Gideon Bull, following the Special Labour Group meeting on Thursday 21st January,  where the Labour Group voted for the recommendation.

The period of suspension is for 3 months,  from 21st January 2016  to the end of the day on 21st April 2016.

I have written to Cllr Bull to confirm this and to formally notify him of the terms of his suspension.

Regards
Liz

Second Email [Following Request for Reason]:

Dear Seema, 

You can say it's because of Gideon’s intervention at the Cabinet meeting on 10th November, where he spoke out against an agreed group decision, that the Labour Group voted  on a recommendation to withdraw the whip based on  concerns about comradely behaviour and collective responsibility in accordance with the Party’s rules and our own group standing orders.

Regards 
Liz

Link to the meeting http://www.haringey.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/191461 the relevant part is 1 hour and 22 minutes.

Views: 9792

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Clive Carter on February 3, 2016 at 15:20

Lydia, I think may may have meant a different, recent Application, where I believe the figure was zero out of 585. I may be slightly adrift on the latter figure: I have no doubt about the former. It's the highest ratio of affordable-to-total in my 20 months' experience on the Planning Committee, but not sure if it's calculable given that the numerator is zero.

(The petition about Cllr. Bull's suspension currently stands at 48,000+ signatories)

Permalink Reply by Clive Carter on February 5, 2016 at 9:08

YESTERDAY, this story was covered again in the Ham&High Broadway:

p.7 story—Global Support for a Fallen Councillor and

p.26 letters—Corbyn's Message is lost on councillors

(PDF attached)

Attachments:
Permalink Reply by Justin Hinchcliffe on February 5, 2016 at 10:58

Wonder if Haringey People will cover it?

Permalink Reply by Clive Carter on February 5, 2016 at 12:52

As you know Justin, the crack reporters on the Councii's Investigation Team have a proud record of publishing without fear or favour. I understand this hot topic will be their cover story for the next issue of Haringey People magazine. (cough).

Permalink Reply by Lydia R on February 5, 2016 at 16:49

"I understand this hot topic will be their cover story for the next issue of Haringey People"
(together with all those pictures of an invasion of whistling fish in the Council Chamber.)

Permalink Reply by Clive Carter on February 5, 2016 at 17:19

I don't know if anyone else saw the item on BBC London News about a lady of 81, suffering from dementia. Here in Haringey.

I imagine this is the kind of case about which suspended Cllr. Gideon Bull is concerned.

It's available on the BBC's iPlayer, 

Here

But only until 7PM tonight.

Permalink Reply by Liz on February 5, 2016 at 17:22

Yes I did - link posted here on HOL to BBC London webpage

Permalink Reply by Jeffrey Lever on February 6, 2016 at 12:14
Gideon Bull punished while Hilary Benn remains shadow foreign secretary. Shom mishtake shurely?
Permalink Reply by Clive Carter on February 18, 2016 at 8:03

Demand that Councillor Gideon Bull is not punished for standing up for vulnerable adults

I SEE that signatures on the Care2 petition have now reached 75,000 and the total continues to climb slowly.

Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on February 18, 2016 at 9:45

I gather that Cllr Gideon Bull's appeal was due to be heard yesterday, 17 February. In accordance with Party rules the hearing and decision is by a panel from outside the two Haringey Labour Parties. I don't know when the decision will be made.
Hopefully the panel will reassert the rights and duties of councillors to speak out for their residents.

Alternatively . . . further rise of the Kobots.

Permalink Reply by Antoinette on February 18, 2016 at 10:58
Where does that statistic come from, please
Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on February 18, 2016 at 11:30

Antoinette, the point surely is that no local council needs its reputation damaged either in the UK or abroad. To repair the borough's reputation, Kober and her chums should stop making stupid decisions -including trying to gag elected councillors.
Please Google "Haringey Gideon Bull", you'll see what I mean.

Even googling just "Haringey" lists on the first page - after the official website etc, - the Evening Standard story "Cash-strapped Haringey Council spent £86,000 on logo and rebranding".  A local council infamous for wastefulness at a time of cuts.

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